Gratitude at
"Season's" End
As of March 31,
2007, the Native Plant Salvage Alliance serving Pierce County has
recently completed a second season of grant funding. Although
salvaging activities, including digging, program promotions, plant
management, and recipient consultation, have been ongoing since the
fall of 2004, the Alliance has been awarded nearly $85,000 since
July of 2005. We have enjoyed the support of over 1,000 unique
volunteers, many of whom have returned repeatedly to support the
program, and many others who have taken home free native plant
materials and hands-on expertise in exchange for the efforts that
they have provided.
Many thanks are
offered not only to these volunteers, but also to the various land
owners who have made access to valuable qualities of plants unique
to the Puget Sound possible. We have been fortunate to dig in both
prairie and forested ecosystems, which provide a broad selection of
interesting, and appropriate shrubs, trees, bulbs, grasses and
perennials for recipient project needs. Members of the Green Tacoma
Partnership, including Blueberry Park, Buckley Gulch, Meadow Park
Golf Course, Puget Creek Restoration Society, the Sierra Club's Ivy
League, among others, have been the primary recipients, but we have
also supported the holding, return and distribution of plants on
behalf of Pierce County programs as well.
We also owe thanks
to many who support the program or spread the word about the
benefits of the Native Plant Salvage Alliance behind-the-scenes. In
particular, significant thanks are due to the Bellarmine Prep
School, without which the program would not be possible. Metro Parks
Tacoma involvement will further the holding and propagation
facilities that the NPSA program's growth engenders. TV-12 Tacoma
and The News Tribune have also contributed to the kind of exposure
that helps us connect with volunteers and funders alike. Ultimately
it is our funders, including the City of Tacoma, and citizen funding
via the Pierce Conservation District and the Cascade Land
Conservancy, whose support of the NPSA, and vision towards the
enhancement of our region's quality of life, we are most thankful.
Assuming we are
successful in obtaining additional grants, we'll continue the NSPA
into the next digging season in the fall of 2008 and winter/spring
of 2009. We will continue our behind the scenes work during the
summer when volunteers will be sought to help us maintain the plants
we have recently dug, but not yet distributed. Plants remain
available to City of Tacoma and Pierce County habitat restoration
projects. For more information, please
contact Anna
Thurston at 253.566.3342.
